Australia favourites but it will be a close series

Read David Llewellyn's email conversation with Steve Waugh on topics as diverse as which four people in history Waugh would want to invite to a dinner party, whether Australia had it coming in the 2005 Ashes series, what his predictions are for 2006-07 battle, and whether he is a culture vulture or adrenalin junkie.

I think Australia will start favourites. I think it will be a pretty close series. I think it will be 2-1 or 3-2. There won't be much in it. Obviously those scores are in Australia's favour. That goes without saying.